Inside This Issue
News Z Features
Schedule Changes -
page 2
Student reaction to
schedule changes -
page 3
What happens when you
turn eighteen -page 8
Op-Ed
The Blocked Websites
Problem- page 21
Instant Messenger
page 22
Drinking Ban for Athletes -
page 24
Sports
Great Teams, Minus the
Fans -page 25
2-page photo spread-
pages 26-27
Athletes of the Month-
page 31
Oyster River High School
55 Coe Drive
Durham, NH 03824
News-Features
ORHS Schedule Changes: Confusing or Beneficial to
ORHS?
Do you think that this year's block days and senate forum schedules are confusing? Well, no luck next year, undercl
>RHS is in the process of deciding whether or not to change the schedule for next year.
"There would be more flexibil
ity for the students when they
are creating their schedules."
-Celeste Best
Are these changes really benefiting students, or is it just another solution to a problem that ORHS has?
What would really happen to classes that didn't want block periods, and how would this schedule run c
normal week?
Laura Rogers, ORHS's principal, believes she has discovered a way to make all teachers happy. With
several of the foreign language, math, study hall, and gym teachers slightly unhappy with having to fill
block period, she thinks that this schedule will be a nice compromise for all.
"Block periods would be extended to 100 minutes for the teachers that need it. There would be bell free periods on the block days and sciences would not need to
have a lab period anymore. I think that these changes are going to make people very happy. It works nicely with last year's schedule. It's not too big of a change; it
just satisfies the entire faculty."
Would teachers be happier or would it make their job more difficult? Would their lesson plans need to be rearranged once again?
Celeste Best, one of the ORHS's eight science teachers, is the representative for the science department in the faculty advisory committee meetings. She believes
that these changes will benefit the science teachers in many ways.
"Chemistry and Physics would no longer need an extra period for labs. There would be more flexibility for the students when they are creating their schedules.
In regards to the other departments, you would have to talk to them but at the meeting they seemed to be very pleased with the changes."
Math teacher Mr. Nichols gave a very positive feedback about these changes. He believes that students will have less trouble adjusting to the block week sched-
ule.
"It will be confusing at first like any new schedule would be but it's very adaptable. Some teachers don't really like the current schedule, however we have
learned to compromise because that is part of this job."
Nichols continued with saying that in spite of his approval of this schedule he also could see problems that could arise.
"This schedule is good in all aspects but if students see this change as an opportunity to take more classes, some of their fundamental classes could slip because
of the work load being too heavy."
Melinda Salazar, a social sciences teacher here at ORHS, believes that the only way that this schedule change is positive is if it benefits the school's vision.
"If this change is just to fix a current problem, then I don't believe it will really benefit the students as a whole," Salazar said. "However if we can find a way to
make this schedule part of our school's community
j vision, then I believe it could be a positive change."
j ] Monday, Thursday, Friday Although Salazar really only found negatives,
Penod A (7 35 - 3 25; Period A- loo minutes Penod B- loo minutes J Shauna Horsley, an English teacher at ORHS, was
iZSmoiiw 0 35-9 151 e».M9 cautiously optimistic :about the change.
I 1 m not sure how I teel about this change yet. We
t,eak f 1 :m v,,t5 "“ ll 1 utl - Moda - l!l ' & | were not given training last time our schedule
Penod 0(9 25-1020) Penod C- 100 minutes PeriodD- lOu mmutes I changed to block periods like we were said to have.
^ But I think that an alternative schedule could be
Penod D (10 2 5 - 11 15) (9 35 - 11 15) (9 35- 11 15) I , ~ . , , ,, ~ OLJC
j beneficial as long as it makes everyone at the ORHS
PenodE (11:20- 1240) Lunch 1 1 1 15-1 1 .45/ PenodE 11 5< ’ -11 4' 0 Lunch 1 1 1 20-1 1 5CV Penod E 11 50-12 40 j community happy."
! PenodE 11 20-12 10/Lunch 2 12 10-1240 PenodE ii 20-12 10/Lunch 2 12 10-12 40 With the second semester starting soon and teachers
j preparing their lesson plans again, the ORHS commu-
Penod F (12 45 - 1 35) PeriodF Fen . i j I nity is buzzing about whether or not this change will
How the Tentative Schedule would operate
Early Release Days would be once a month.
Math, PE, Foreign Language, Study Skills and Study Hall would be 50 minute classes that were
"locked" into consecutive classes. Ex) Algebra-A period, PE-B period.
E period would be the same ("skinny") class every day. Lab science classes would not be sched-
uled during E-period.
Woodchuck and groundhog are common terms for the same animal
Mon d ay. Th nrsd ay, Fi id ay
Tuesday
... — I™.', 1 ",., r — -Li
Wednesday
Penod A (7:35 - S 25)
Penod A- 100 minutes
Penod B- 100 mmutes
Penod B (8 30- 9 20)
(7:35-9 15)
(7:35 - 9 15)
Break for students with double blocks 9: 15-9 35
Penod C (9 25 - 10:20)
Penod C- 100 minutes
PeriodD- 100 minutes
PenodD(10 25- 11 15)
(9:35 - 11:15)
(9 35- 11 15)
PenodE (11 20- 1240)
Lunch 1 11: 15-11 45/ PenodE 11 50-1240
Lunch 1 11 20-11 5W PenodE 11 50-1240
PenodE 11 20-1210/Lunch 2 12 10-1240
PenodE IV 20- 12 10/Lunch 2 12 10-1240
Penod F (12 45 - 1 35)
Period F
Period G
PenodG (1:40 - 2' 30)
(12 50- 230)- 100 mmutes
(1250-230)- lOOmmutes
TeBruary 2, 2007 3
Students React to the Possible Schedule Changes
It's the biggest rumor around school. Is there going to be a schedule change? A majority of students already have a hard time
understanding block scheduling. "Kids still ask what time is lunch," says senior Joe Gehling. Are students really ready for another
change? Will this projected schedule change really confuse the majority of students at Oyster River? How will things like this alter
the way teachers teach their classes at Oyster River? What teachers will like this system and what teachers will loath it? Do students
really like block scheduling? Would Oyster River students be willing to have block weeks every week? An informal survey taken of
freshman sophomores and juniors said that the amount of students who like block days and don't like block days are almost split
equally. Many of these students polled agree that block days do have their pro's and con's for example Junior Max Disesa is excited
about the idea of block weeks each week
"It's a nice break from the normal 5 days a week schedule, it gives everything a more college-like feel, however it really depends on the schedule that you have"
Students at Oyster River agree that this idea is really a hit or miss kind of deal. It's all really going to depend on what kind of day you have. Students also agree
that classes like math will be really hard to deal with because an hour and a half is really hard to do every week. Whether or not you agree with this idea of the
new schedule this is not a definite idea and much is subject to change.
Grayson Erslek
Allison Krzanowski
Students making a difference
For the Student Conservation Association, I spent a month in the woods
of Wisconsin without showers, electricity, or sufficient protection from
dangerous wind-storms (which happened quite often)! But it was
amazing. I was trail-blazing with a crew of 7 of the most wonderful
high school kids I've ever met. We built part of the "North Country
Scenic Trail", a work-in-progress from New York to North Dakota that
will be twice as long as the Appalachian Trail! And don't worry, this
wasn't one of those "Pay us $3,000 to spend time in nature and put it on
your college application" scams. ..we worked 8 hours a day, often in
drenched lightning storms or 100 degree weather, and had the time of
our lives. We became our own strange family, and I'm still in contact
with everyone. My only regret is that I never saw a famous Wisconsin
black bear. -Liza Behrendt, Grade 12
Over the last two Christmas vacations I have gone down to
Guatemala to work in an orphanage. At the orphanage there
were 52 boys and girls that were infants to 15. I spent my time
there playing with the kids and landscaping and painting work.
They celebrate Christmas and New Years by setting off fireworks
which was an interesting experience because you have 6 year olds
running around shooting roman candles at each other. I think
that the part of the trip that influenced me the most was when
they received their Christmas gifts and all they got were a couple
matchbox cars or a soccer ball but were still extremely grateful.
Made me realize the opportunities that I get and how any oppor-
tunity that I don't take advantage is wasted and how these kids
will probably never come close to getting the opportunities I do.
Basically this trip made me realize all the things I am thankful for.
-Tony Gass, Grade 12
Cameron's view in Washington
This summer I participated in a program called Landmark Volunteers. I went to Washington
State, and camped out with twelve other people in Olympic National Park. During the day,
we'd hike up into the mountains and help preserve nature trails which had been built in the
1930s and were slowly deteriorating. Then each night, we'd hike somewhere new and explore.
We got to see some pretty cool stuff: glacier waterfalls, the country's biggest Temperate
Rainforest, and Hurricane Ridge-miles of snowy mountains. We had some interesting experi-
ences too: Once I almost got plowed down by a crazy elk, and another time a bunch of us
snuck off at night and went into the Pacific Ocean and froze. The whole experience was
amazing. -Cameron Lund, Grade 12
Students Making a difference article continued on page 14
The groundhog's internal clock is believed to be affected by annual changes in the amount of daylight.
News-Features
Excuses, Excuses! The ten minute late rule is no longer
one of them!
Has your teacher ever been late to class: so late that you just left? Well, ORHS students, leave no more! The Oyster Rumor that
you're allowed to leave when a teacher is ten minutes late to class is just another Oyster Rumor. In fact, you are susceptible to
punishment if you are caught.
Laura Rogers, ORHS's principal, says that she had never heard that rumor before and said that it is completely false.
"The kids should stay no matter what. Situations always arise that are out of the teacher's control. With the level of trust that we give the students here I
that they should respect us and stay. You never know what could have happened."
Several students at ORHS feel that if the teacher is late, it isn't their fault if they leave. They just don't know what to do instead.
Megan Sievert, a senior at ORHS, has had a lot of classes over her four years at the high school and has left for two or three of them. "I left because I knev
they weren't coming back so I went to the library instead," she said. "I found out later that I wasn't allowed to do that, but what else are we supposed to dc
Why not take advantage of the resources in the library and study for one of our classes?"
Whether or not Sievert did these things in the past, one thing is certain. Students won't be allowed to get away with the excuse "Well, you were more tha:
minutes late!"
CaitHn Byrne
Greyson Erslek
Emily Sievert
Class Recommendations
That's right folks: that time is near! For all you
underclassmen at Oyster River, it's time to choose your
schedule for next year. Whether or not you want to
challenge yourself and take some crazy AP Math class
or just want to relax and take a simple English class,
you really can't go wrong tor cool classes here at Oyster
River. Here are a few recommendations for classes you
all should take.
Mythology \
The 60's (Seniors only) \
Forensics
Russian Studies/Russian Exchange
Web Page Design
Piano
Philosophy
Journalism I and II (wooohooo)
History of Art (new class next
year!)
Expository Writing
Pottery
Advanced Gym (Seniors only) /
Can You Believe this?!
In Columbia, South Carolina, a man dressed as Santa Claus was charged
with kidnapping. Supposedly, the man coaxed an 8-year-old girl to walk
over to his motorcycle so he could show her his "stuffed Rudolph" in the
sidecar. The man then loaded her into it and drove away. The parents of tl
girl, who happened to be at the pump next to "Santa," drove after the mai
until he pulled over and gave her back. "Santa" is in jail on $100,000 bail.
In Suprise Arizona, a 29 year old man posed as a child for 4 months fooling a
charter school the entire time. Supposedly for those 4 months this man got tc
know the children quite well. Parents and teachers are asking how this
happened. The man who is only 120 pounds shaved his body hair and used
makeup to conceal his stubble. Police are still investigating at this time. This
man also was convicted as posing as a student in 2005 about 65 miles away
from the current case.
Woodchucks/Groundhogs can chuck about 700 pounds of wood
Te6ruary 2, 2007 5
Weird News Stories
Panda Bites Man; Man Bites Back
According to www.nbc-2.com, a man was bit by a panda in Beijing, China on September 15, 2006. However, this was not a ferocious panda
attack like you might be picturing. The man had drunk four pitchers of beer while he was out to dinner that night, and then had managed
to stumble to the Beijing zoo later on. Seeing the panda cage, he proceeded to climb in. The panda saw this as threatening, so it bit a chunk
out of the man's leg. The man was so mad that he decided to bite back. Police are still investigating the story.
Man Leaps off Bridge to Catch $20 Bill
This article, found on www.nbc-2.com, was
about a 25 year old man who jumped off of a
50-ft bridge after a $20 bill that flew out of his
pocket. The man was then interviewed about
his jump and stuck up for his behavior.
"Hell yeah, it was worth it. I'm broke," he had
told reporters. The man was brought to the
hospital immediately and was released the next
day.
Malaysian Man Stuck on Top of Billboard
According to www.Davesdaily.com, on December
11,2006 a man attempted to steal the spotlight above a
billboard but got stranded up there when his accom-
plice fled the scene. The Malaysian man had been stuck
up there for seven hours by the time the police arrived,
and did not manage to steal the spotlight.
Couple protects their land
with Porta-Potty
According to an article found in the
Portsmouth Herald, a couple in Rye,
NH are in the midst of a land
squabble with the town. The couple
purchased the piece of land in 2005,
but failed to do anything with it
until now. The town of Rye wishes
to buy back the land from the
couple, but they will not budge. The
couple has placed a run-down
trailer, 2 white lawn chars, a porta-
potty, a clothesline complete with
their laundry, and a black tarp hung
between two dead trees to show that
they want their land. So far the town
has failed to get it back.
Librarians around the nation in outrage!
An article found in the Dallas Morning news talks
about how librarians around the country are mad
about Archie McPhee and Co. producing a librarian
doll that really 'shush's'! A librarian from Dallas was
quoted saying that the doll was "so stereotypical" she
could puke. The doll will not go into production until
the issue is resolved: maybe in court.
Man calls 911 to get his drugs back!
According to www.Davesdaily.com, a middle-aged
man called the police to tell them that he had been
robbed at gunpoint. The stolen item? A pound of
marijuana worth $1,100. The man had been attempt-
ing to sell it, when the buyer drew a gun and stole his
share. When police arrived on the scene, a "drug-
sniffing" dog found more marijuana. The man was
admitted into the county jail and now faces charges of
intent to sell.
Weirdest Story of the Issue!:
Greyson Ersick and his 1995 Blue Ford Explorer pulled into John's Garage in Lee for an inspection. The car stayed overnight at the garage and was then picked
up the next day. The inspection showed that nothing was wrong with his car and that it was indeed fine to take on the road. Yet, as he was driving home Ersick
noticed a small bullet hole in the front windshield. Later, Ersick took the car back to John's Garage where the owner called the police and ended up filing a
report. The culprit has not been found. But Greyson was pissed!
Overheard s
"I got dibs on Blair's bed!"- Greyson Ersick
"What's a birthday without fetal pigs?" -Mrs. Kucera
"I'd get naked for Oreos and peanut butter"-Sam Kerrigan
"What about wrestling in pudding?" -Allison Krzanowski
"You just can't watch gay porn on the second date! That's it!" -Chris Hall
"Sorry I was just finishing a really intense game of ping pong."
- Blair Kelley (after arriving tardy for Mouth of the River.)
"Wikipedia is dead to me." - Mr. Zottoli
The movie Groundhog Day is number 34 on the American Film Institute 100 funniest movies list
6
News-Features
|i Whats Happenin?!
Greyson rsiek
Movies
Feb 2" rf
Rogue - A monster alligator invades a small town, in words a Lake Placid rip-off
Feb 9"'
Hannibal Rising -The early days of the famous movie serial killer, Hannibal l ecter
Norbit- Can Eddie Murphy redeem himself with this new comedy? Most likely not.
Greyson's Pick :
Ghost Rider -Based on the Marvel comic/graphic novel starring the one and only
Nicholas Cage.
Feb 23
Tire Number 23: - Jim Carrey stars in this thriller about a man who becomes obesseed
with the number 23. This movie looks like its going to be awesome.
Reno 91 1 : The Movie- A movie based on the hit Comedy Central fake cop show
Black Snake Moan -another insane movie brought to you by the awesome Samuel L
Jackson
March 2" d
Zodiac- A movie about the famous serial killer tire Zodiac killer
March 9 th
Greysons Pick
300- A Spartan king leads 300 of his men into battle against the Persian army. If this
movie lives up to its trailer it could be the best film of the year.
Albums
Feb 6 I! ’
Fallout Boy- Infinity' on High
Bloc Party-Weekend in the City
Feb 20 th *
Explosions In The Sky- All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
Feb 26 lh
March 6"’
Arcade Fire-Neon Bible
Gun's 'N Roses- Chinese Democracy (8 years in the making)
RJD2-The Third Hand
Concerts
2/10/07 Tire Wood Brothers Stone Church
2/10/07 The Brew Stone Church (Before the The Wood Brothers)
2/16/07 The Pink Floyd Experience Capitol Center Concord
2/23/07 Lez Zeppelin (all girl Led Zeppelin cov er band) The Stone
Church
2/25/07 The Slip Stone Church
2/03/07 Keller Williams Sunday River Lodge Bethel Maine
2/25/07 30 Seconds to Mars, Senses Fail, The Used Cumberland County
Civic Center Portland Maine
2/06/07 Justin Timberlake TD Banknorth Garden Boston Mass
2/22/07 My Chemical Romance Verizon Wireless Arena
2/22/07 Everclear Paradise Rock Club Boston Mass
2/24/07 Killswitch Engage with Dragonforce Avalon Boston Mass
2/26/07 John Mayer Mullins Center Amherst Mass
Groundhog Day started as Candlemas Day a German holiday celebrating the halfway mark of winter where instead of a groundhog they pulled out a Badge:
Musician of the month: Bryce Harding
Greyson Ersack
an you desert
It feels great. I feel nervous sometimes and I really focus on
what I'm doing and when I mess
things up, but I just pretend I'm not nervous and after every-
thing is done and even if I didn't feel good about my perfor-
mance everyone always says I did great.
The band Dispatch is probably my biggest influence because he really
took a lot of risks by not really appealing to the mainstream.
How often do you sing?
I have voice lessons every week. I'm also a part of the New
Hampshire Seacoast Youth Choir and I do a lot of stuff with them. I
never really stop singing.
Sophomore Bryce Harding gives his classic pose as he smiles about being
the Musician of the Month
Well, my first memory of singing was when 1 was about 3 years old
and I was in the grocery store with my mom and I started singing the
I Love Lucy Theme really loud.
Yeah, definitely. 1 could really see myself in a band when I get older, just playing at
things like coffee houses
Digital Portfolios
There has been vet another change instituted to the curriculum. Starting with the class of 2011, there will be a new mandatory
| digital portfolio that every student has to make in order to graduate. The portfolio will consist of a student's past work and a
• tU tT , personal interests section as well. No one currently in the high school will have to complete one of these.
RlaiP ((alloy "This is a state mandate," said Technology Integration Facilitator Danielle Bolduc. This past summer, the New Hampshire Board
of Education met to discuss the details on this new requirement. The requirements for the portfolio given by the state were very
broad, so people from Oyster River High School, including Bolduc and Pamela Carr, a Computer Science teacher, met to set up
some simple guidelines for the portfolio.
The overall plan seems to consist of a webpage type file that contains links to past work students have done. There should be brief explanations of these works as
well. The overall goal seems to be that teachers want this to be a useful tool.
"We want people to be able to take it with them after they graduate," said Carr. The intent is for students to possibly use this to show colleges and maybe in the
job field as well. In addition, teachers hope this will be very beneficial to the technology comprehension process. This will help students with computer technology,
especially in webpage design because the portfolio is essentially a website.
As far as the work load goes, Carr and Bolduc don't seem to think it will be overwhelming.
"We're going to give students a week during their required computer courses to work on the portfolio," said Carr. The portfolio will also be graded strictly on a
pass/fail system.
"Essentially, students could do this in a couple days if they really had to.. .we don't recommend it however," Bolduc stated. To reiterate, the portfolio will become
a requirement starting next year and students will not be able to graduate without it, like it or not.
Since 1887 Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow 94 times
News-Teatures
Allison Krzanowski
What really happens when you turn 1 8!
"You need photo ID!" shouted the man outside the adult bookstore that Cassie de Alba and I tried to sneak into. I, how-
ever, could have gotten in, but since I'm not creepy, I ran back to the car with Cassie.
Most people would know about certain things you can buy at 18, such as cigarettes and lottery tickets. Here are a few
things you might not know about what happens when you turn 18.
Permission Slips and Signing Out
Out of about twenty seniors who were asked "Can you sign your own permis-
sion slips when you turn 18?" no one seemed to know for sure. Responses to the
question included "No, but you can sign yourself out," "Yes, but you can't sign
yourself out," and "Yes, and you can sign yourself out if your parent calls."
However, none of these answers were correct. When you turn 18, you cannot
sign yourself out, nor can you sign your own permission slips. This is because
your parents still have legal rights if you're living in their household. "If you're
still living at home, we still owe your parents legal information and they have
the right to veto," explained Mrs. Rogers.
Under the circumstance that you are 18 and living on your own, you can sign
your own permission slips or sign yourself out of school.
There is one more condition under which you can have these legal rights: if
your parents waive all legal rights in education. "I can't imagine that if a parent
waived their legal rights to information or a voice in education of their child,
then the child could make all decisions on their own," said Mrs. Rogers.
She pointed out, though, that not many people would take advantage of this
opportunity. When parents sign this waiver they can no longer be sent report
cards, have conversations with teachers, or play any role at all in their child's
education.
Medical Decisions
Upon turning 18 you can make your own medical decisions. This includes
vaccinations, treatments of any kind, and birth control. You can also sign for
your own piercings and tattoos. In the state of NH, you cannot under any
circumstances get tattoos until you turn 18. You need to have a state issued I.D.
or passport. The closest state that you can get tattoos at 16 with parental consent
is Connecticut.
Contracts
There are many types of waivers and contracts you can now sign without
needing a parental signature as well. This includes checking accounts (without a
cosigner), credit cards, and car loans. You can also sign your own waiver for
other things such as skydiving (or indoor skydiving- there is a wind tunnel in
Nashua), ice climbing, and anything else you would need a waiver for.
Voting
You can now register to vote. You can register with the town or city clerk up to
ten days before the election, or you can register the day of the election at the
polling place. According to the NH Department of State, when you show up to
register to vote, you need to have proof of age, proof of residency and proof of
citizenship. For more information, go to www.sos.nh.gov/vote.htm.
Hotel Rooms
It is a common misperception that you can rent any hotel room at 18. At the
Holiday Inn in Durham, you need to be 21. However, at Motel 6 in Portsmouth,
you can rent a room at 18, but you need to be 21 to have minors with you.
Out of 20 seniors who have turned 18, here's what they have done so far:
Gone to an adult book and video store: 5
Cigarettes: 7
Lottery tickets: 11
Registered to vote: 5
Piercings: 2
Tattoos: 1
Credit Card: 6
Keegan Quimby pretending to smoke a stogie.
Punxsutawney Phil has not seen his shadow 14 times
Te6ruary 2, 2007 ^
Dover Women's Health, P.A.
Central Commons, Suite I
750 Central Ave.
Dover, NH 03820
(603) 742-2424
www.doverwomenshealth.com
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M iMfaai ^ General OB/GYN
> Minimally Invasive
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We Specialize in the Management of Urinary Incontinence, PMS and Menopause
While Providing a Holistic Approach to Women's Health
*‘‘HPV Vaccine Available***
Punxsutawney Phil has been right 39% of the time
News-Teatures
You wanted them we’ve got them! School Swap Stories
Ever wonder what it would be like to go to a different high school for a day? Do you wonder what students of surronding schools think of ORHS? Well
wonder no more! The staff of the Mouth of the River took ourselves to surrounding schools to answer these budding questions for you!
A day in the Life... well two days in the lives of Winnacunnet
and York High School Students
For my school swap I went to two schools: Winnacunnet and York. The one thing that I was surprised to discover was that our school
actually isn't so bad.
Allison Krzanowski At Winnacunnet the day was overwhelmingly long. This could be partially because my friend Sara, who I shadowed, is a freshman. They
have block scheduling every day and their year is in trimesters, so they have the same five classes every day. I went to 70 minutes of fresh-
man English, Spanish, biology, band, and algebra. I spent the whole day with Sara's friends, who were mostly freshman boys, so that was also a little overwhelm-
ing.
One thing I did like about their school was that they have music play in the halls instead of bells. When the second clip of music comes on, they have until it stops
to be in class. I also liked their bagel block. They have bagel carts all around the school and 10 minutes between first and second periods to get one.
It was really hard to make our way from class to class. The halls were really crowded, so if someone walked between me and Sara, I would completely lose her
and she would have to wait up for me halfway down the hall. Overall, it was a good experience, but I was very happy when the school day was over.
York was perhaps a little more fun to spend the day at. This time I was shadowing a junior. They have block scheduling as well, but they have half their classes on
"blue days" and half their classes on "white days." Since I went on the easier day, the only classes were digital imaging, photography, study hall, and geometry.
The people at York seemed a lot friendlier; a lot of people talked to me and asked where I was from and what I was doing there. I was surprised to realize that most
people had never heard of Oyster River. During last period geometry class, I decided to figure out whether the rumors I had heard about this school were true.
Most of the rumors I had heard were about drug problems at York.
Here are some quotes I overheard from York High School:
"I would say it's more of marijuana and beer."- math teacher, Mr. Roberts.
"There's a couple of people who do acid, but they'll probably drop out."- Alex Boasik, grade 10
"Our town's more into marijuana. . . and, like, mushrooms, and ecstasy and stuff."-Emily Downs, grade 10
The best quote I heard though, was when one student was saying "I think we have some ex cocaine addicts," and another student chimed in with, "X? Oh we have
tons of that!"
A Day in the Life of a Saint Thomas High
School Student
We decided to do Saint Thomas as our school swap, which to us was interesting because of the
intense rivalry between our schools.
[ JL. ▼ Due to a number of conflicts and last minute plans that fell through, we were not able to experi-
’ >B ^ a. ence an exact day in the life of a St. Thomas Aquinas High School student. Instead, we combined
r fl, some of our personal knowledge and an interview with freshman student Tommv McDonnell to
"I help explain what a typical day would be like. Some of the differences are pretty interesting. School
Blair (8li0¥ SBIH X8PFiS3n is definitely different over there at St. Thomas.
When looking at the schedule that McDonnell provided us with, most of it is prettv similar, but
there is one class that immediately stands out: Catholic Studies. Since St. Thomas is a catholic high school, students are required to take a religion class. A lot of the
students are at St. Thomas are heavily catholic to begin with, but some find it harder to get used to.
"For me, it can sometimes be a little strange because I'm not that religious compared to some of the other students," said McDonnell.
One other class that also stood out was Geography. This instantly reminded us of World Cultures. Both classes are indeed required in both respective schools, but
the focuses are different. While World Cultures mainly focuses on different societies across the world with minimal geographical information, Geography at St.
Thomas mainly studies where everything is located on earth with minimal information on the culture.
Despite these two major differences, McDonnell still enjoys St. Thomas a lot.
"The academics are great and all of the kids seem pretty nice as well."
Based on personal experiences, the school itself is a lot different than Oyster River. The architecture is a lot older compared to the new school we have here. The
classes inside seem smaller and a lot of the classes still use chalkboards. Despite these differences in the buildings, both schools appear to be top of the line in terms
of academics as well as athletics.
Anonymously though if we had to choose between the two, we would stick with good ole Oyster River.
Punxsutawney Phil has been right 39% of the time
t Fe6ruaiy 2, 2007 11
A Day in the Life of Spaulding High School Students
We only had to take two steps into Spaulding to know that we were far from home. Something about the dark tan walls and the dark-wood door frames made
Oyster River's white "hospital-looking" halls feel welcoming.
"I just remember walking in and seeing almost all of a boob!" said accompanying student Lauren Anderson talking about a low-cut shirt worn by a student at
Spaulding. The rest of the school was like any other New England high school. Baggy or tight jeans were worn by the appropriate sexes and besides some semi-
revealing shirts; most students would fit right in at Oyster River.
After interviewing a few students we quickly realized some similarities and differences between our two schools. Students at Spaulding cannot wear hats in
school or chew gum, but don't seem to be bothered by that.
"It's not that big of a deal here, we're just used to it," stated a senior student at Spaulding. Another huge difference is that camera's cover the first floor halls from
the front door to the cafeteria. Next year at Oyster River, rumored parking lot cameras are becoming a bit of an outrage, but Spaulding students don't really care.
"I don't mind the cameras. Actually, at the end of last year, someone came into our school that wasn't supposed to be there, so..." said another Spaulding senior.
Other differences include their schedule, which are 4 block periods each day and the size of their school (reaching over 1,700 students).
"Our student body is so big that we can't fit more than one class in our auditorium for an assembly," said Principal Robert Pederson.
A similarity between our schools is that the 7-point grade scale plagues the halls of Spaulding as well as Oyster River. As many of you well know, this grade scale
makes it hard to achieve an A, but have comfort in the fact that Spaulding has it too.
Overall, Spaulding didn't feel very different from Oyster River. Most of us would know almost 1,000 more names if we went there and each student we talked to
was welcoming and friendly like that of an Oyster River student. Despite the fact that we only made it to one of the four lunches, I feel Assistant Principal William
Douglas let us talk to kids who gave Spaulding a fair representation. There are the athletes who have heard of Oyster River through a sports perspective, and then
there is the band who have heard of individual OR students yet, all of them were willing to talk to us. Besides the fact that it felt like someone was always watching
us (well the cameras were at least), Spaulding had a solid administration staff and cheerful students who made us feel at home and safe inside a new, unfamiliar
school.
The US has the highest marriage rate in the world followed by Russia and the Czech Republic
A day in the life of a Portsmouth High School Student
I did my school swap at Portsmouth High School, shadowing my friend Kaitlyn Maloney. Here is an overview of my day at PHS:
7:50 - We drive to school from Kaitlyn's house, listening to Rammstein. Since she doesn't
have a 1-A block class, her first period starts at 8:20. WHAT WE THINK ABOUT PORTSMOUTH:
8:05 - We arrive at school. Kaitlyn leaves her bag in a random hallway while she goes to They have a lot of drugs, and not just pot
, , her third-floor locker, assuring me that of course no one would steal anything. PHS is like a h "Rich but trashy"
fiassie imm McDonald's-colored maze. Thev're ail weird theater kids
8:10 - We are sitting in the hallway. One of her friends is Really, really good at basketball .
t arguing with a tech guy about who gets to stage-manage the WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT US.
talent show. Good at swimming
8:20 - Kaitlyn's first block is chorus. Their teacher tells them Everyone is athletic
that they "don't spend enough time thinking about 'ooo's." VVe all dress the same and act the same
8:50 - They are singing Phantom of the Opera. I get really Most ( >f u s don t have stereotypes of Oyster
excited. River because we've never heard of you.'* ..
9:10 - The PHS bell is much more high-pitched and annoying L — I ... - a; -
them ours. Also, they read the Pledge of Allegiance over the
loudspeaker, and I get really confused.
9:14 - 1 am in Kaitlyn's 60s class. The teacher explains why I'm here. Someone mutters that they'd rather go to Ports-
mouth than Oyster River.
9:20 - The teacher talks about bibliography format, then puts in a movie about assassinations in the 1960s. Kaitlyn
passes the time writing a story and doing Sudoku puzzles.
10:50 - Lunch. I hang out in the library with Kaitlyn and her friends. We talk about who made out with who, what the different grades are like (juniors are Stoners;
freshmen are sluts), and Wicked; apparently at least part of the "weird theater kids" stereotype is true.
10:55 - A push-up contest is happening a few tables over.
11:20 - English (Poetry & Short Stories). Apparently everyone hates this teacher. They are working on some final project that everyone seems to be behind on.
1 1 :40 - The English teacher kicks me off a computer because I haven't signed the school's acceptable use policy. I am beginning to see why everyone hates her. I pass
the time by reading Crime and Punishment .
1:00 - AP Spanish. I'm really proud that I actually understand what's going on. The guys in the class protest having to watch the "gay movie" again and ask "do we
have to escribir?" The movie is actually just dubbed into Spanish. A lot of the classrooms here seem to have giant wall-mounted TVs.
2:15 - The class is sharing their continuations of the movie. Carlos has just died of a "bad homosexual accident." One of the girls in the class wants me to make it
clear that only four people were actually drinking during the swim team scandal last year.
2:30 - School is over! The school seems to empty out within thirty seconds; or maybe this is just because we have to go back to Kaitlyn's third-floor locker and then
all the way out to the parking lot.
‘News- ( Features
U on t worry, pe rtappv Emiy sievert
Everyone has questions about college. Fortunately there are answers.
My advice: to anyone in ORHS who is stressed about applying to college, rip out this article, fold it, place it in your back pocket and then keep it for those tin
when you WILL need it. This article has solely been written to make the whole application process easier.
According to www.webmd.com. 84% of all high school seniors are overly stressed about applying to college. At this time of year, most seniors are rushing to
finish applications while some might already be receiving acceptance letters. The stressful time period of college applications is almost over for the 2007 senior
but in about a year, it will haunt the senior class of 2008 and then continue through the years until the end of time. The daunting question? How do you do it a
who is going to help you?!
There are many seniors or staff that can relate to the stress that is caused by the application process. After talking to a good number of them, I have compiled
list of the first 5 things you should know about applying to college.
1. START EARLY!- most students won't even think about which colleges they are applying to until September of their senior year.
2. Make a list of your top ten schools and then organize them. What are you safety schools? What are your reach schools? What is your top choice?
3. Ask questions. Not little questions like "What is the High School's address for my application?" but every question you could have or do have.
4. Find people who have applied to college before (parents, friends, teachers) and get them to help you.
5. Finally, don't procrastinate. Deadlines can't be changed and if you miss them, you miss them for good.
Most seniors this year feel like it would've been a lot easier if they had started thinking about college as early as the beginning of junior year.
"I am still so stressed about deadlines. I just finished the list of colleges I am applying to about a month ago and the first one I visited was in August of this pi
summer," says stressed out senior Sarah Grant. Most students would agree with her. A small survey I conducted showed that 17 out of 24 seniors regretted wai
until the last minute.
"If I could do this whole process over again, I would start by visiting schools in my junior year of high school," explained senior Matt Talley.
However, not every senior decided to wait too long. Matt Moynihan decided to visit schools over the summer with the push of his parents.
"I'm really glad now that my parents brought me to visit schools this past summer. I watch all of my friends still applying to schools, and I've already been
accepted to one at least," Moynihan explained.
Applying to college is really not supposed to be that stressful. Yet, I was so stressed over this process that I have broken this article into three sections that I h<
'~~witt4>elp _aH o f you whp are worried about it. "
1. Financial Aid: Most students don't realize that this is something
you apply for when you are applying to colleges. You should not
wait until the last minute when it comes to financial aid, because
there is an application deadline. Most of the time, this i something
that your parents will do, since FAFSA (Federal Financial Aid) needs
to know your parents salaries or personal information, but if you
think you qualify, it must be done.. This year's FAFSA deadline is
February 15 and it is not a rolling deadline, www. fafsaonline.com is
a great place to begin and they will walk you through this process
step by step. Most of us need financial aid, but some of us don't know
where to find it.
2. Scholarships: Truthfully, there is a scholarship out there for
everyone. After recently talking to a freshman student at UNH
(wishes to remain unnamed), she said that she got five scholarships
that didn't reach over $450 each, but were given for the most random
things. The craziest being: Catholic students who love Maine. This
scholarship was given by a town council to the most qualified
applicant. Most of you know about the scholarships given at ORHS
graduations, but most of you don't know how to apply. These schol-
arships have not been well publicized, but i have found out that a
folder is open to all students in the guidance office, that contains all
scholarships that seniors can apply for through the school. Most of
them have late deadlines (the latest being early May) but some of
them have earlier ones. This folder is always open and i suggest it be
used to your advantage. Any money towards college is good money.
Stressed Seniors deal with college applications
1 . www.fafsaonline.come - a great site for financial aid help.
2. www.commonapp.org -you can download the Common Application
straight from here.
3. www.collegescholarships.com -great place to find any scholarships
4. www.scholarships.com -another great scholarship website
5. www.collegeboard.com -all the info you need to know about applica-
tions and the SAT's
6. wnvw.princetonreview.com -a free questionnaire that will help match
The movie Groundhog Day was not filmed in Punxsutawney but Woodstock, Illinois
February 2, 2007 13
Hint: The essay portion of each applica-
tion is meant to set you apart or give you
a chance to connect with the essay
readers. Common topics used: Sports,
Family Issues, or Academic Achieve-
ment. All of these are great topics but are
so common that you might need to spice
them up.
Advice with Seniors:
- "Don't wait too long. Visit as many colleges as
soon as you can." -Liz Hamer
- "Spend time on yout essay. I am completely
confident with mine and sending it to 3 col-
leges." -Owen Henn
- "Ask as many questions as you need to. I had
so many , but there was always someone w ho
could answer it." -Corey Snelling
- "Try not to apply to too many colleges. If you
don't want to go somewhere, don't apply. It just
adds to the stress." -Caitlin Guarino
- "Use the common application if you can. Most
schools accept it and it makes the process easier
and faster." -Tony Gass
Hint: Include a "Resume" along with
your applications. Some categories used
by seniors this year are: Sports, Extra-
curricular activities, Hobbies, Special
awards etc. Remember: INCLUDE
EVERYTHING. The more the better.
Hint: Keep a folder of all of
your applications, recommen-
dations, and any extra things.
Organization can only make
the whole thing less stressful.
Hint: Most colleges now-a-days are
looking for well-rounded people as well
as academically stable students. Good
grades are always a plus, but commu-
nity service hours, sports, involvement
in clubs, and special awards look almost
as good.
The first box of Valentine's candy was in the late 1800's.
Mrs. Mckay Working hard on college stuff for seniors
mmm mmn
An overwhelming amount of seniors have said
that their parents were their most useful resource
when it came to applications. Most students have
also turned to friends who have gone to college, or
sisters and brothers who have been through this
process. No matter who you may turn to, there is
no doubt about it, everyone needs help. Parents
were a very useful source when it came to filling
out the applications, but i found the best advice
from friends when i was writing essays or filling
out personal responses. My next piece of advice
pertains to the teacher/guidance counselor recom-
mendations. I, along with many other seniors, feel
like this was one of the harder parts of the applica-
tion process. Many students felt that it was hard to
decide what teachers they wanted to have write
their recommendations, and then what they
wanted the teachers to say. Again, the easiest way to
get around this is to start early. Lists come into play
in this area as well, since a list of possible teachers
would make this process a lot easier than just going
up to the easiest candidate. Contrary to popular
belief, administartors can write teacher recommen-
dations and they are just as good. For instance, if
you are into sports, athletic director Don Maynard
would be a great choice for your teacher recommen-
dation. Narrowing down what areas you want
teachers to focus on will also help you come up with
a more concise list to work around.
■
■
: im (*<*•>*
■
Advice with Phyllis Mckay:
1. Come to all guidance sponsored events. For instance: the essay writing
workshop usually held in late November, the meeting for juniors and their
parents about the application process usually held in mid-October, and
new this year, interviews with OR graduates about college life, being held
at the end of second semester.
2. "Students shouldn't be afraid to ask Questions. 1 am no mind-reader but
most questions thrown my way, i can usually answer." You heard Mckay!
Ask! Most Seniors this year were frustrated with the guidance department
because they felt they didn't help enough. Most students also admitted to
never asking.
This summer I went on a volun- >
teer trip to Costa Rica. I went
with Shalyn Cantor to a small
village named El Sur. We traveled
with a group called Globe Aware
that was helping to improve this
village's lifestyle. Our goal of the
trip was to help the villagers
build recycling bins so they could
prove to their government that
they were trying to improve.
When they proved this to their
government, they would receive
small grants that would really
make a difference to their village.
The whole experience was really
fun and I'd love to do it again.
-Sara Powell, Grade 12 /
Maddie and a local boy
This past summer I spend two weeks in Nicaragua which is a country in Latin America. I traveled
an organization called Witness for Peace. There were around 28 of us including teen and adults. I w«
only kid from New England and 1 didn't know anybody so it was pretty nerve racking, but 1 got the
life changing experience I've had so far, in my entire life. I stayed with two Nicaraguan families. On
those families lived in a farming community that was quite isolated from the rest of the world. Thes
people live in tire most simple and humble conditions and constantly struggle to survive. Most of m
consisted of rice, beans, tortillas, and sometimes cheese. I traveled to two cities and met with commi
leaders, doctors, and sweat shop workers. They all told their own stories of struggle, hardship, and
that directly connect to US involvement with the Nicaraguan economy. If someone were telling this
me a year ago I would not have drought I could handle, let alone enjoy a trip like this, but I absolute
loved it. It was so refreshing to see how much better life can be without all of the material possessio
clogs my life living in the US. 1 met so many people who changed my life and I had a ton of fun. I r
that social change depends on my generation and I think the best way to invoke a change like this is
through seeing what life is like on the other side. I would recommend taking a trip like this to anyo
because you have such a great time and your eyes are opened to the reality of what the world is rea
-Maddie Kelly, Grade 12
The Duke of Orleans (a Frenchman) sent the first Valentine, after being captured in 1415.
Shalyn and Sara helping to milk a cow
Students making a difference article continued from page 3
News-Features
(February 2, 2007
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180 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion.
Matt Moynihan: David Hasselhoff
Tess Milliken: I'd go to Disneyland
Matt Campbell: I'd go on a date
with Dragos Maftei
Mrs. Healey: I'd go to a tropical island, nr. husband
can come if he wants to.
There are 120 single men (never married, widowed or divorced) in their 20s for every 100 single women
February 2, 2007
You Go With? And Where Is Your Dream Date Location?
Mr. Reeves: I don’t go out with anyone Mr.Brewerd'd go with Kate Bush and go to Wuthering
Heights
Chris Butterfield: I want to go to Hawaii
Mrs.Carr: I'd go out with Matthew Mcconaughey
Names of some romantic-sounding places: Valentine, Neb. Lovelady, Texas Valentine, Texas, Loving County, Texas Loveland, Colo., Lovington, N.M., Lovejoy, Ga.,
Loving, N.M., Loves Park, 111., Love County, Okla., Lovelock, Nev., Lovington, 111., Love Valley, N.C., Romeo, Colo., Loveland, Ohio, Romeo, Mich., Loveland Park,
Ohio, Romeoville, 111., Loveland, Okla.
News and Features
Mouth of the River
Greyson Ersick - Department Head
Allison Krzanowski - Photo Editor
Caitlin Byrne - Layout Editor
Op-Ed -
Blair Kelley - Department Head
Cassie de Alba - Photo Editor
Sam Kerrigan - Layout Editor
Sports -
Emily Sievert - Department Head and Photo Editor
Joe Gehling - Layout Editor
Positions
Editor in Chief - Blair Kelley
Business Manager - Allison Krzanowski
Web Site Editor - Blair Kelley
Double Truck Editor - Greyson Ersick
Photo Editor - Cassie de Alba
Circulation Manager - Caitlin Byrne
News Manager - Emily Sievert
Faculty Advisor - Judy Kucera
Standards for Mouth of the River Articles
1. Articles should be creative and innovative
2. Articles shall not be hurtful or target individuals
3. Include a variety of sources that represent everyone
4. Don’t plagiarize or fabricate
5. Put the interests of the paper ahead of your own.
6. Articles should be appealing and make the reader want to
read them.
7. The newspaper should look like a professional publica-
tion - with eye-catching pictures, design and articles.
8. The paper should be fun for everyone.
9. Put effort into all articles and take your work seriously.
10. Avoid bias in articles, excluding op-ed.
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Saint Nicholas Day was originally December 6, this was the original day when kids got presents from saint Nicholas
February 2, 2007 19
Letter from the Editor: Hazing
Over the past few years it seems that the administration has finally started to crack down on hazing. Gone are the days
where a group of people could play hacky sack without school administrators breathing down their necks. What we
have now is just a mass of about 750 kids, no one seems to have any unique privileges and freshmen are treated just
like everyone else. The thrill of being a senior is dimming more and more because people are so worried about making
everyone feel equal. I can understand where they are coming from, but what has to be realized is that "hazing," isn't
always a bad thing. There are certain things like making freshmen do a task for you that aren't really that bad. Hazing
can definitely be taken too far, but in some ways in can actually be a good thing.
"When I was a freshman, I was hazed in a way that I was scared, but never really hurt," said Senior Eds Harding. "I
never really minded it and I felt like I was being accepted." This is a clear example of hazing being a positive experi-
ence. If a freshman accepts it and doesn't take it too personally, they'll eventually realize that it's not necessarily about disrespect; it's more of a fun tradition.
The common notion also seems to be that freshmen despise hazing. This by no means is the general consensus. Drawing from personal experiences, I know that
when I was a freshman I always thought hazing was a cool tradition. While I was a little skeptical about dealing with some of the seniors, I knew my time would
come and I would carry out the tradition. Little did I know that hazing would be just about abolished by the time I entered my senior year. I have also talked to a
lot of freshman who have that same stance.
"It should definitely be allowed because hazing is in good spirit," said Freshman Donovan Kelley. "Kids who feel they need to tell on seniors because they got a
dead arm should just suck it up."
While moderate hazing isn't necessarily a bad thing by my standards, there should definitely be limits on what should be allowed. Insults can sometimes be
taken too far so I feel that they should be kept generalized and shouldn't be aimed solely towards one person. I also feel that physical contact should be kept to a
minimum. A couple friendly little shoves or dead arms aren't always the worst thing, but people should be careful with how forceful they make these actions.
"Hazing should definitely be allowed, but only to a certain extent," added Kelley.
Overall, I understand that the administration has a lot to worry about in regards to this topic. There are definitely kids who take their actions too far and that is
definitely worrisome. However, I think if we just view hazing in a different light, we could probably avoid some problems. Seniors deserve to be treated as the best
and also deserve the right to make that known. Treating the underclassmen with disrespect is a tradition that has been around for years. It's a great way to form
bonds within classes and if done right, can also help build respect between different grades.
Letter to the Editor: Don Murray
By Alex Herlihy
Read this article or else...
You will miss out on a chance to meet a man who taught so many so much about writing and
life.
Don Murray was a resident of Durham, founder of the UNH Journalism dept., Pulitzer-
Prize winner, author of many books and hundreds of columns for the Boston Globe and
writing coach for untold numbers. When he died in December there was quite an outpouring
of appreciation from the many lives he touched.
Don was able to write about his life experiences and make them universal so that they
resonated with his readers. He lived his life through writing and even in his last column he
admitted he went into it like a 17 year old - filled w'ith anxiety. But that is because he felt
very strongly that we are not really sure what we want to say until we begin to write. Many
of you in my classes have admitted this to be true. This is what Don wrote about the writing
process:
"We write not because we have something to say, but because through writing we will
discover what we have to say. We read our words to find out the meaning of our lives. We
lead two lives: the unreal life of reality and the real life of art."
A few years ago 1 wrote a long, dull piece for MOR about looking for truth in good journalism. It would have made Don squirm, but true to form he would have
found something good in it and encouraged me to edit the hell out of it. When he went to work as a writing coach for the Globe, he was able to pick out their three
best writers immediately because as he said: "they are the ones who move their lips when they write." So I think Don discovered early on that life throws us many
curves and it is our obligation to reflect on those experiences and give them meaning. Don did that through the art which was his writing and he would encourage
us to do the same. We don't have to win the Pulitzer Prize; just keep a journal, write letters - anything that helps us reflect on life.
Don attended several of our elder workshops on Diversity Day and students always remembered him fondly. Four years ago I connected my World Cultures
classes with some elders in the community to do interviews. They were hesitant at first, but soon warmed to the task and it was Ricky Boswell and Tim O'Keefe
who were fortunate to have Don as their interviewee.
At the end of the hour I had trouble separating many of the groups, especially Ricky and Tim, as Don had pulled them into his world and they didn't want to leave.
One of Don's last projects was trying to build a web site where he could connect with former students and others who aspired to write. I would think all his
students over the years could continue that project and pass on Don's wisdom. You too can be pulled into his world: just give him a Google.
Don Murray with some Oyster River alumni.
BlairKeleyQp-EdDspartniefit
50% of all marriages in America end in divorce
Three Thoughts: Snow
I hate this time of the year. I really don't under-
stand why people get so worked up about snowfall;
it doesn't make sense to me. I see winter as a dread-
ful couple of months that are a struggle to get
through. Everyone raves about the snow and how
there is so much to do with it, but as a non-skier I
just don't see what is so great about it. I admit, the
first big snow is always a cool experience, but after
that, snow just kind of becomes a nuisance. I know
that living in New Hampshire, the majority of
people probably disagree with me, but I'm going to
try and point out the things about snow that really
put a damper on everything.
First off, I hate snow because of what it does to the
driving conditions. It seems like once the first
snowfall happens, there is no turning back. I can't
even count how many times I've almost crashed as a
direct result of snow and ice being on the ground.
One time last year I was about ten feet away from
fishtailing into Wiswall Bridge, but miraculously
my tires found the pavement and my life was saved.
Snow also brings up the problem of trying to get
your car out of tough situations. It's so easy to get a
car stuck in the snow, yet it can be one of the most
frustrating ordeals trying to push a car out of the
same pile. My friends and I know this too well and
it is always a hassle trying to do so.
I also hate snow because it seems that most of the
time there is only a tiny layer of snow on the ground
and nothing can really be done with it. For me, it's
an all or nothing situation. I hate having an inch of
snow on the ground; it isn't enough to go outside
and play in the snow, but it's enough to keep you
from playing lacrosse or any other outside activity
along those lines. Snow is a roadblock for me; it
makes me a very lazy person because I can just use
it as an excuse to stay inside and watch TV.
"It's overrated," said Junior Max DiSesa, "it's just
water. . .and I've seen water before; it's unimpres-
sive."
If I could choose to get rid of snow altogether, I'd
do it in a heartbeat. I feel that the only way I benefit
from winter is basketball season, and snow is just an
obstacle. It's a struggle for me to find a reason why I
like snow, and that is enough for me to hate it.
DiSesa summed everything up beautifully:
"Basically the only reason I don't wear shirts that
say 'I hate snow' is because of the chance it has to
cancel school," concluded DiSesa. Enough said.
Cassie and Sam enjoying the benefits of snow, while Blair,
is not.
My opinion on this issue is that our editor-in-chief
is a few green hairs away from actually being the
Grinch. I start looking forward to snow approxi-
mately in August; I began narrowing down my
college choices based on which ones actually got
winter. I can't even conceive of not liking snow.
Although I don't ski or snowboard, I firmly believe
that you are never too old to go sledding at Wagon
Hill. And snow makes ever) thing more beautiful; 1
love waking up after it's snowed and seeing my
backyard looking like a Christmas card. It's prob-
ably my favorite natural phenomenon, and I am a
big fan of natural phenomena. Some of my
favorite memories involve snow: from being a little
kid making elaborate "sled jumps" and lopsided
snowmen to last New Year's Eve, when my best
friend and 1 wrote the lyrics to the Pogues'
"Fairytale of New York" in the falling snow on the
sidewalk in front of my house. In conclusion,
snow is one of the best things about living in New
England. Anyone who disagrees probably has a
heart that's two sizes too small.
Unlike Blair, I love snow. It's just one of those
things a New Englander needs to learn to enjoy.
Some might complain about it being cold; my
advice to them is simple; put on a jacket.
"I love everything about the winter; it might even
be my favorite season," Evan Lonstein. "If you
don't like the snow, you can get the hell out of New
England," stated Lonstein.
The winter is a nice variation from the rest of the
year, not to mention a very joyful time. There are
countless things one can do in snow. Skiing,
snowboarding, building snow men, snowball fights,
sledding: the list goes on and on.
I would say we are privleged to be able to live
where we do, there are plenty of people who have
never been able to witness a true winter wonderland
and I feel bad for them.
Matt Talley a senior moved here from Florida
sophomore year, "I had never seen snow before two
years ago and I cant belive what i was missing out
on. Florida was so boring compared to this,"
explained Talley.
I really can't think of many things I enjoy more
than waking up to find out we have no school and
there is an absolutely beautiful blanket of snow
covering the ground.
The cold season of winter will come whether it
snows or not, so as far as I'm concemed,we might as
well let it snow.
Left Column: Blair Kelley
Center Column: Sam Kerrigan
Right Column:Cassie de Alba
In order of popularity, Valentine's Day cards are given to: teachers, children, mothers, wives, and sweethearts.
TrF.viTiTi T rgfi;iTrnr!Ti
Blocked Websites
"Pornography." "Drugs/IIlegal Drugs." "Web Communications." These are a few of the reasons the ORCSD content filter gives for
why it blocks certain websites. To someone who's never used the internet at school before, this probably seems reasonable. How-
ever, after days of extensive research (read: typing "porn" into Google Image Search), I've determined that the way our content
M? filter works barely even approaches reasonable. Not only does the filter allow access to most of the content it claims to block, but it
also prevents students and teachers from reaching legitimate websites.
Oyster River has had a content filter for the past four years, starting after the Children's Internet Protection Law was passed. This
legislation prevents schools from receiving a certain amount of federal funding unless thev have some sort of content filter on their
; : ;T\ '/!*?. .... computers; the filter can be as strict or as lenient as the school wants it to be. According to Danielle Bolduc, the school's Technology
Integration Facilitator, the filter originally blocked only pornography. However, "as the years went on.. .administration has asked
L3SSI80BAID3 OUepai IfflBfli (-h a t we fi]t er on-line games and eBay." Bolduc says that the idea behind the filter is to block content that isn't related to school, and
that its aim is to "protect the innocent student who is using the Internet responsibly from getting unwanted sexual content web
pages."
However, the filter does not block just pornography and eBay, as internet users in the high school know all too well. "It doesn't let me get to philosophy
websites," says Eve Mugar, a senior. "It's annoying that it doesn't let me do research for school projects." High school art teacher Tim Lawrence has had similar
issues with the filter; it's blocked art websites for reasons he can't figure out. "You can't get to websites about vase forms," he fumes, "but type in 'Marilyn
Monroe's breasts' and you'll see them."
This is another major problem with the content filter: the fact that it doesn't really filter much of anything. It's possible to find pom, buy guns, play games, and so
on. A highlight of my research was finding, completely unobstructed, a site on how to make methamphetamine. I'm convinced that our content filter, to put it
simply, does not work.
So why do we have it? Well, the federal government is paying us over $25,000 a year for complying with the Children's Internet Protection Law. Bolduc, among
others, says she "feelfsj that the benefit of the money outweighs the limitations of a filter."
ORHS computer teacher Debbie Sheldon has run into issues with the filter, but says that the IT department "has been great about removing blocks." Because of
this, she doesn't see the filter as that much of a hassle, but believes that by the time you're in high school, "you're old enough and mature enough to know what
you should be doing" on the internet.
This is the consensus among the ORHS students I talked to. "[The filter] is so annoying, and some of the stuff it blocks is actually for educational purposes," says
Lian Todd, a junior. Most students agree that they've had some kind of research project obstructed by the content filter.
Clearly, something has to change. Whether it's an overhaul of the existing system or an entirely new filter, what we have in
place is simply not working.
National Inquirer
.. . Magic portal leading to 100 Acre Wood found in Lee: A magical portal to the 10(1 Acre
Wood (residence of Pooh Bear, Piglet, etc...) was found in the area of Bell Lane. Reports
say Kyle Cranney (a resident of the road) came across the portal while doing some oil
SamKerPigaBOp-EffOepaPtmefi! roac * Wheel-chairing. Upon further investigation there was a trail of honey leading from
the portal to Jeremy Goodwin. Magic portal experts have yet to make a statement about
the findings.
Kyle Cranney recalls the incident, "at first I thought it was the pain killers screwing with my head, but I thought about it
and realized it must be true. I had always found it odd when he constantly licked his fingers while looking at me."
We all know Stiffler as the exceptionally perverted and sarcastic character in the American Pie movies. What we don't know is
that Stiffler's stunt double actually attends our school. His name is Tim McDonnell and he can be seen making outrageous jokes,
working his magic on the ladies and roaming the area around the library.
NEWSFLASH: Be on the lookout for a vicious vampire. One of our fellow reporters had ai
burner Z.U encounter with one on the weekend of 1/6/07. However, the reporter wished to remain
anonymous. The vampire is still on the loose and considered highly dangerous; reports say it's a female vampire around the
e anonymous victim
73% of Valentine Day flowers are bought by men, whereas women buy only 23%.
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The Rantings
Instant Messenger: Don't get me wrong, this article is not aimed to attack Instant Messenger and say how bad it is.
I've decided to take a look at the tendencies that people have online that for some reason really bother me. I will do
this in the form of a countdown and point out the top ten worst online people.
10. The person who sends you a message right when you're in the middle of another conversation: This one's tough because
the person who sends you the message isn't intentionally doing this, but it disrupts your other conversation, causing
you to send the wrong words to the wrong person: very frustrating.
9. The person who makes their inside jokes public through their away message or profile: Inside jokes are probably the
funniest types of jokes you can have with a friend, but we really don't need to hear about them. These normally are
expressed with only one sentence in an away message or profile and no one really knows what the hell you're
talking about; save it for yourselves.
8. The person who puts funny quotes from themselves in their own profiles: Believe me, 1 know how good it feels to make a good joke, but it makes you look a little
desperate putting your own jokes in your own profile. Instead, try to make jokes that are so good that other people are putting them in their profiles; it's a much
better feeling.
7. The person who only talks to you if they need something: Don't think people can't tell what you're doing. When you send someone a message asking "how do you do
the homework?" then say goodbye to them right after they take the time to explain it, it really isn't too hard to pick up on. I admit that I am victim to this, but I
definitely do not condone it.
6. The person who refuses to put up an away message: This can be the most frustrating thing sometimes. I'll always have
something funny to say to people and I'll send them a message, but after a few minutes I'll realize that the person isn't
there. Put up an away message; it isn't that hard.
5. The person who uses "I am away from my computer right now" as their only atvay message: This is so boring; for some reason
this frustrates me so much. It isn't that hard to put up an away message, and people also probably want to know what
you're doing. At least entertain me with good song lyrics or something, the default away message sucks.
4. The person z oho puts lame love songs or poems in their profiles referring to a present or past relationship: You do see this with
both genders, but it typically leans more
towards the females. I'm sorry if you just
broke up with someone, but I don't need
to read about how bad you feel. If it's
bothering you that much, try talking to
someone.
3. The person who uses way too many
abbreviations when they're typing: This is
probably the lamest thing possible
someone can do online. Abbreviations
are the most outdated thing ever. I'm so
sick of reading "g2g" and "ttyl;" what
are you, a sixth grader? (See the sidebar for more examples).
2. The person who takes forever to respond to every single comment: For me, this con-
veys a lot of different things, but the most prominent is that the person is not
invested in the conversation. You're obviously busy; just put up an away message,
and that way you can filter out the conversations you don't want to be having.
1. The person who can only communicate with others through instant messenger: The
main part of this has to do with what I like to call "online relationships." I'm sorry,
but I can't stand it when people can only muster up the courage to talk to someone
online. Please just give them a call; it saves time and at least leaves you with some
dignity. I remember people who used to break up with their partners online; that
is just ridiculous.
There you have it: the top ten worst online people. If you fall under one of these categories, please correct your ways. These habits can be frustrating, rude and
overall just dumb and they make me mad.
Want to rant and rave yourself?
Or, maybe you have something positive to say?
Contribute to MOR! Write a letter to the editor and submit it to Mrs. Kucera!
Senior Blake Janelle IMing his life away
Worst online abbreviations:
-g2g (Got to go).
-ttyl (Talk to you later).
-Imao (Laughing my off).
-brb (Be right back).
-cya (See you).
-wuz, cuz (Was, because).
-u (You).
-jk (Just kidding).
-lol (Laugh out loud).
-18r (Later).
-tho (Though).
Over 50 million roses are given for Valentine's Day each year.
Te6ruary 2, 2007 23
Cassiede Alba -EilDepar trnent
5 Bands
5 Bands You Should Be Listening To:
OF MONTREAL: Even if the name "of Montreal" doesn't sound familiar, the band's songs probably do. Actually from Geor-
gia, of Montreal's music has been featured on TV shows like The OC and in an Outback Steakhouse commercial. They're
incredibly prolific, releasing an album a year since 1997, with their quirky sense of humor evident throughout (check out
songs like "Dustin Hoffman Does Not Resist Temptation To Eat The Bathtub"). Their most recent album. Hissing Fauna, Are
You The Destroyer?, came out on January 23.
ESPECIALLY AWESOME SONGS: Penelope, Forecast Fascist Future, The Actor's Opprobrium
MIRAH: Mirah (pronounced like the ex Italian currency) is a unique singer-songwriter from Washington State. Her lilting,
breathy voice and typically sparse instrumentation complement her honest, personal lyrics. Where some similar artists fall
into the "every song sounds the same" trap, Mirah almost always stays out of it by blending influences as diverse as tradi-
tional Argentinean music and Liz Phair. Although she has no plans to tour at the moment, a remix album. Joyride, came out in
November 2006.
ESPECIALLY AWESOME SONGS: Cold Cold Water, Of Pressure, The Dogs of B.A.
ELLIOT SMITH: I tried to make an Elliott Smith reference in the first article I ever wrote for Mouth of the River, only to be met with blank stares from various of
my fellow staff members. It is time to rectify that situation. Elliott Smith is.. .well, was an amazing singer-songwriter. In the three years since his maybe-suicide-
maybe-murder, he's edged dangerously close to becoming an indie-rock cliche; but this doesn't make his songs any less beautiful.
ESPECIALLY AWESOME SONGS: Rose Parade, Alphabet Town, Miss Misery
ISLANDS: Although they share members with now-defunct, always-strange band The Unicorns, Islands are a separate entity and a band in their own right. Their
debut album, 2006's Return to the Sea, is characterized by whimsical pop songs and ever-changing but always interesting musical styles. And who can argue with a
band who makes African diamond mining sound cute ("Rough Gem")? They've announced plans to start recording a second album sometime this winter, after
they wrap up their European tour.
ESPECIALLY AWESOME SONGS: Rough Gem, Don't Call Me Whitney Bobby, Jogging Gorgeous Summer
CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is the alias of Owen Ashworth, a film school dropout who started recording lo-fi
music on electronic keyboards in the mid-90s. His style was much the same until the 2006 album Etiquette, which included a variety of instruments and collabora-
tions with other artists. However, his signature short, incredibly catchy songs are as incredibly catchy as ever.
ESPECIALLY AWESOME SONGS: It Wasn't The Same Somehow, Holly Hobby, Students for Scarves and Charm
Suave Sam
Q-I understand that seniors are superior, because they are smarter, stronger and older, but why are freshmen revered as so
pathetic and useless or little crying babies?- Arturo Jaras- Watts
A-Arturo, there aren't many ways I can put this, but that's just the way it is. When you start getting some hair on places
other than your head you will know where we're coming from. Freshmen: don't take it personally. It's just the way things
are.
Q-You seemed to have plenty to say about the horrible dress choices of freshmen boys and our labeled craze. But what is
acceptable to wear and what are the limits? -Dan Torrelo
A-Danny, If you read the article thoroughly you would have noticed that I mentioned it was ok to wear nicer looking
shirts from your label stores (dress or collared shirts), but I won't hold that against you. Second of all, acceptable clothing includes no ripped jeans, maybe some
sweat pants from athletic brands; sport some 382 apparel. There are endless options.
Q-Who would win in a fight, a ninja or a samurai?-Cameron Lund
A-Well, as many people would think a ninja might get the edge on a samurai if he had the element of surprise, but in a straight up fight I would say a samurai
would win due to their supreme combat skills.
Q-Sam, when it really comes to beans, the magical fruit, do the more you eat, the more you toot?- Ryan Hubbard
A-Judging from past experiences it would appear the magical fruit does indeed have that effect on people. So Ryan, I wouldn't disagree with it.
Q-Why are freshmen girls so attracted to me? -Kyle Cranney.
A-Kyle, I would say it's probably one of two reasons. The first one being because you're such a stud, and being a senior the younger girls love it. The second
explanation might just be because they feel bad for you.
Q-Where is Ryan Pekins? Tim McDonnell
A-Timbo, to be honest with you no one really knows. He has been rumored to either be wrapped around the pole of a bird house or practicing his robot voice.
But I can't say for sure which of the two he's doing.
Over 1 billion Valentine cards are sent in the U.S each year.
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One Strike and You’re Out
It's a Friday night, and you decided to go out with your friends. You think you're being responsible by offering to be the
designated driver. Little do you know you're about to be punished for it: by the school.
Recently at Oyster River High School the drinking punishments for athletes have been changed. If you're caught at a
party, just minding your own business, you will now be punished just as harshly as someone who is abusing the law.
Also, the punishment for athletes has recently been upped from a two week suspension to 42 days.
One might think that this four week extension
is horrendous but in reality if you choose to go
to drug/alcohol counseling the suspension is
only three weeks, which is just a week longer
than the former ban.
In response to the changes Athletic Director Don Maynard says, "Assuming they do the
drug class the punishment gets cut in half, so wer'e actually only adding a week."
As for just being at a party the results are exactly the same as someone who was drink-
ing. "You can always appeal the decision," says Maynard. "Say someone was called up to
come pick a friend up, and at that instant the party got busted, we might be sympa-
thetic."
In my opinion 42 days was a ridiculous amount of time to be suspended from a team. I
can't even imagine what it would be like to be sidelined for 6 weeks, even three for that
matter would seem excessively long to me.
There are very mixed feelings among students about the issue. Some think it's outra-
geous, some think it's O.K., while others think it's too little of a punishment.
Greg Gilmore, a recent transfer from Dover knows all to well about tough punishments.
"At Dover if you got caught at all you were done for the season, and I agree with this.
You are breaking the law, the punishments should be harsh."
Some students, such as Leslie Claridge, who stood in awe at Gilmore's remarks, dis-
agree with the athletic policy. "The school shouldn't be involved in your personal life,
you have parent/guardians for that reason," said a rather upset Claridge. Taylor
Ackerman's views are split down the middle. "Good kids make mistakes, I don't think
you need to bench them for 42 days; two weeks is long enough," states Ackerman.
As far as other schools go we seem to be right in the middle along the lines of the punishments. "We're pretty
consistant with other schools," states Maynard. "I'd say they (the punishments) are fair."
The administration has greater intentions other than just cracking the whip on substance abuse. "We look at this
as a way to identify a potential problem rather than just a punishment," says Maynard.
Boys' varsity soccer coach Charlie Crull also had some thoughts on the matter. "In my opinion the most severe
punishment would be just letting down your team; that's the part that really affects kids."
Crull's thoughts prove to be entirely true and 2006 Graduate Cy Watson would agree with that. Watson was
suspended for 2 weeks for abusing the substance policy and he felt exactly this way. "Those were the worst two
weeks of my athletic career. Not only was it not easy to come back after not playing at all for two weeks, but I had
to deal with letting my team down like that."
I think I would have to agree with Crull's views as well. If I were to get caught at a party, the most humiliating
part of the experience would be just facing my team everyday.
I would say I have come to terms with the 3 week suspension, even though I think two would be more than
enough to get the point across. Now just being at a party on the other hand I still have to disagree with. I dont feel
that it is fair to punish kids who aren't doing anything wrong.
This situation hardly seems fair at all. I'm not saying that high school drinking is an okay thing to do, and I'm not
saying it should go unpunished, but statistics show that it's probably going to happen. So why should we punish
the kids who are trying to do the right thing? We have been taught since the 5 ,h grade never to drink and drive.
Personally, I know I would rather be at a party not drinking and looking after my friends than having them drive
home afterwards.
"In High School you are exposed to certain pressures and part of the learning process is choosing between them.
Unfortunately sometimes curiosity will get the best of you," says Crull. My advice would be don't let it get the
best of you but realize there are some situations in life whereyou might have to break the rules to do what you
think is right.
Local Schools Drug Policies
Dover: Out for the remainder
of the season
Londonderry:T80 day suspen-
sion, as well as an appeals
process
Coe-Brown: 2 Game Suspen-
sion
ExeterSuspended from the
team for a week and from
competition for 2 weeks
Portsmouth: Situation is put
up for the Athletic Disciplinary
Committee.
Long before St Valentine lived, February 14th had strong links with fertility. The date traditionally is known for when birds choose their mates.
Great Teams, Minus the Fans
EmRy Sieved Sports Writer
would be great.
During the winter months here at Oyster River, one of the highlights of
the weeks are definitely the boys and girls home basketball games. These
games are famous for the massive fan attendance and the loud shouts
from the student section of the bleachers, and can sometimes be the most
fun thing you can do on a Tuesday night. In
recent years, the boys' hockey team has acquired g g
a lot of fans that can cheer when someone falls on
the ice, and yet still support their team. These
sports can in fact be so entertaining and so
highly-attended, that you might sometimes
forget that Oyster River even has any other
winter sports teams.
This is a crime that is no one's fault. 'learns like
indoor track, ski team, or swimming/diving, .
don't have the warm or spacious arenas that the s.
basketball or hockey teams have, nor do they last
only an hour and a half. Yet, that doesn't mean
that they don't need the fans . . . right? I
Senior swim team athlete, Sam Larson, com- n I
merited that swimming is not really a spectators
sport." He went on to explain "you have to be a
swimmer to appreciate what you are watching.
It's not like in basketball where you can watch
someone score 50 points and know that they are
great and be as excited when someone shaves a
half- second off of their time in a swim race." A
member of the Oyster River dive team feels the same way about fan
attendance at swim meets.
"You have to be really quiet while everyone dives anyway, so fans are
just kind of pointless," stated junior diver Andrew Stark.
Whether or not swim team is really a spectators sport, doesn't mean that
some swimmers wouldn't appreciate a few cheers now and then.
"I would possibly do better if I knew my friends were in the stands
cheering for me, because it would be worthwhile for me to perform well if
I knew someone I cared for was watching," stated senior swimmer Sam
Wensman.
Another team that feels like they are missing valuable fan attendance is
the Oyster River ski team. Although this team requires long bus rides to
even get to their races, most athletes would agree that fans would be great.
"Watching our ski races would be fun because it's funny when people
fall, and we go fast. Also, it would make all the other ski teams jealous
because no one has fans up north," says senior skier Emily Murphy. Other
ski team athletes also wouldn't mind the fans, but don't see the point.
"Once you got to the mountain, you'd have to climb up it a ways to even
be able to see the course," says junior ski team athlete Connor Jacobson.
Most of the OR fans would agree with this statement, arguing that the
reason these sports are unattended is because of the inconveniences.
"I've been to an indoor track meet before, and they are so crowded. Also,
you can only see the athletes run on a section of the track before they're
gone again," stated OR fan Matt Moynihan. This brings us to our last
unnoticed team: Indoor Track. A lot of these indoor athletes think that fans
"I hate running by a group of cheering people for an opposing runner.
I tty and run faster if I can hear people yelling my name and not some-
one else's," senior athlete Nick Strong states. Many track participants
agree with that, while some find that they
■ don't care.
"Hearing someone cheer for me isn't
going to make me go faster. Most of the
time I try to block out noise anyway," says
sophomore Lana Ciali. Athletic Director
Don Maynard has the same take on this
issue as Ciali. Maynard doesn't think that
"any athlete shouldn't be able to play
harder because someone is cheering for
them. What does that say about the ath-
that "student
lete?" He went on to say
athletes should be able to recognize that if
someone from another team is cheering for
them, they should go cheer for that player
during their sport."
Overall, Oyster River has a big problem
with the diversity of fan attendance. Yes, a
basketball game that has a score of 54-52 in
the 4 th quarter might be more exciting than
the swim team 500m medley race, but all
talented athletes deserve attention and
support. No one can be blamed, but anyone
can change it. Instead of sleeping in until 12:00 on Saturday mornings,
track meets at the field house or ski races at gunstock are now where
you could be. Get out there and cheer!
Swimmer Derrick Kotlus demonstrates proper
swimming technique.
Ski Team
02/02/07 Bretton Woods 10:00 AM Start
02/07/07 Pat's Peak 3:30 PM Start
02/13/07 Boys State Championship Pat's Peak 8:00 AM Start
2/14/07 Girls State Championship Gunstock 8:00 AM Start
Indoor Track
2/02/07 Boys & Girls Class I State Meet UNH 5:00PM
Swimming/Diving
2/9/07 State Championship UNH
2/10/07 State Championship UNH
Watching our ski races would be fun
because it's funny when people fall.
-Senior Emily Murphy
Americans eat about 24.7 pounds of chocolate a year
26
>*#♦** H< MU***
Winter Sports 2006-07
Here are some of Oyster River’s many dedicated athletes
Boy's and Girl's Basketball
* j/f A
•1m Mmm *
B3i f ■
There are 22,022 florists nationwide
February 2, 2007
Around 3% of pet owners prefer to give Valentine gifts to their pets
28 Sports
NECCO Sweethearts Conversation Hearts have been around since the Civil War
Where Are They Now?
Joe GehHng Sports Writer
The 1,000 Point Club banner hangs down from the gym rafters, a subtle remembrance of incredible basket-
ball players from the past. Legends in their own time are now known only from their name on that sacred
banner. The Friel family is famous for having four members on that list, including Keith, the All-Time
scoring leader in Oyster River basketball. Oyster River has continually produced amazing athletes. How
can a school not have great athletes when the sports teams are always some of the best in New Hampshire.
A number of Oyster River graduates from the past few years are continuing to play the sports they love in
college, and they are doing quite well for themselves: „ , ~ ~
° 1 ° n Zach Simmons (Massachusetts) Soccer
Kevin Pope (Yale) Soccer
Jess Roeder (Connecticut College) Soccer
Sarah Roeder (Providence) Soccer
Keith Friel (Notre Dame and Virginia) Basketball
| Greg Friel (Dartmouth) Basketball
f Jesse Schram (Lehigh) Soccer - See Side Bar
Jeremy Friel (New Hampshire) Basketball
Brittany Cross (Vermont) Basketball
/ i Danny Lynch (St. Anselms) Soccer
fSQHHBV Veronica Jackson (Tufts) Cross-Country
Michelle Crothers (Tufts) Lacrosse
Ben Wachowiak (Keene State) Lacrosse
/ell-known OR athletes Rick Laughton (R oge r Williams) Basketball
Jimmy Long (Bryant) Lacrosse
Billy Long (Army) Lacrosse
Danielle Dietrech (Hartford) Soccer
16) is playing soccer tor the Division-1 Lehigh Ben Ke „ (Salve Regina) Lacrosse
s, who advanced to the second round of the Danny Sharbaugh (Eastern) Lacrosse
st a ’ Amv Maurer (Roger Williams) Volleyball
ter River, he made First-Team All-State as a Haljey , anelle (Endicott) Volleyball and Basketball
i was selected for Foster s Dream Team when
, ,, , , If you know of any other former Oyster River
right midfield every game this year as a athletes playing sports for their college please let
ison wit our goa s an n e assists as t e joe Q eb |j ng know, and thev will be mentioned in
he season ranked 16 m the nation. , ..
the next issue of MOR.
Colleges attended by well-known OR athletes
Jesse Schram (Class of 2006) is playing soccer for the Division- 1 Lehigh
University Mountain Hawks, who advanced to the second round of the
national tournament this past fall.
When Jesse played at Oyster River, he made First-Team All-State as a
junior and a senior. He also was selected for Foster's Dream Team when
he was a senior as well.
Schram started at outside right midfield every game this year as a
freshman. He ended the season with four goals and five assists as the
Mountain Hawks finished the season ranked 16"' in the nation.
P Were you recruited coming out of Oyster River?
I was, but playing for Seacoast United (a prestigious club soccer team)
helped a lot. 1 would go to tournaments, and then coaches would talk to
me or I would contact coaches depending on what schools I was interested in. That is how Lehigh
came to be, they contacted me, so I looked at them, and I realized that I really liked the school.
How much better is college soccer than high school soccer?
The game is so much faster. Passing is much harder, everyone has a good touch, and everyone is in
shape. Some games as a whole are not very good, and
look a lot like high school soccer, but most games are , ~ .. •
quick and the ball is moving around a lot quicker than
Which do you enjoy playing more, high school or
High school soccer is always a lot of fun because it is
with your friends and the people you grew up with, but 9
college soccer is a lot more challenging and intense, and i Jr JPf
I like that atmosphere better. mmar i
What was your best high school soccer moment/game? L . .. . j
I would have to say freshman year when we went into
overtime in the State finals and I assisted Kevin Pope for
the game winner.
What is your best college soccer moment/game so far?
The best moment so far was definitely playing number one seeded Duke in the Sweet 16 of the
national tournament, even though we lost.
OYSTER RIVER HIGH SCHOOL
1.000 POINT CLUB
I960
STEVE BAMFOflO
1981
PATRICK 8ALVIN
1986
JOHANNA MICHEL
1989
PATRICK CASEY
19a©
KEITH FBId
t octet
Lytdvi
nJUnAcL UAacT
mnmi mm
1977
RANDY KINZLY
1984
JULIE SASNEfl
1988
JOHN FHOE8MUTH
1983
JENNIFER FRIEL
1997
BREB FRIEL
2001
JEREMY FRIEL
2006
RCK LAUGHTON
Emily Sieved Sports Writer
February 2, 2007 29
Cara Sherry: During her
middle school years. Sherry
was playing "blindfold
soccer" when she ran, head
first, into a wall. She
acquired what she calls a
"Harry Potter" scar on her
forehead.
Alina Harris: On vacation in Puerto Rico, Harris was
surfing when she got sliced on her side by her board fin
and couldn't go in the water for 5 days. This injury was
sustained within the first Vi hour of surfing on the first
day of her vacation.
Worst Sports Injuries
U Remember how you felt that first time you fell off your bike and scraped something? Or when you ran into that fence on a sledding trip? Most
fc of us have experienced those minor childhood injuries and are probably still scarred from them. Yet, some of us have forgotten about that first
broken bone and are more worried about injuries still occurring now. These are high school student athletes or students that are still as active as they were as a
kid. They are still sustaining injuries that make them feel as helpless as that first black eye, but luckily they are fine with sharing their stories.
King of Injuries: Kyle Cranney
Injury 1: On December 1,2006, Kyle Cranney was dirt biking in Windsor, Connecticut and ended up suffering one of the
worst injuries of his career. Cranney attempted to hit a 70 ft. Triple when his bike "bogged" and he "went flippin'."
Cranney's bike landed on his leg and dragged it the opposite way that his body was going causing his knee to sustain
many injuries. He ended up with a tom ACL, two meniscal tears, a fractured femur/tibia, and two broken toes.
Injury 2: At another dirt bike race, the Kawaski Race of Champions in New Jersey, Cranney broke his collarbone when he
hit a "kicker" and flipped over his handlebars. He has reportedly suffered from this injury twice.
Injury 3: In 2003, Cranney suffered from another injury caused by his dirt bike, but this time, on the open road. Cranney
was riding at 60 mph when he hit Timmy Hartford on his bike and flew off of his bike onto the road. His elbow was
skinned to the bone, his jersey melted to his shoulder, and he suffered an injury to his hip.
Mike Erlenbach: Erlenbach's worst sports injury was
when he tore a piece of his bone off of his hip during
soccer try-outs. This injury put Erlenbach on the
bench for four months, merely because he didn't
stretch before he played.
Tommy Lynch: Lynch broke his ankle during his middle school years while playing what seemed to be an innocent basketball game. All in one play. Lynch landed
on his ankle and broke it, while another player, Curtis Williams, suffered an injury to his arm when teammate Trevor McMahon's tooth ripped it open.
Don Maynard: Maynard was playing in a basketball game one day, when during an intense play, came down on an opposing player's foot. This caused Maynard's
ankle to roll and he ended up breaking it. All of this happened the day before his college try-outs.
Neal Lofgren: Lofgren was longboarding not too long ago, when he fell off of his longboard and gouged out a piece of his chin. Lofgren said that he could see
down to his chin bone, and that there was a huge amount of blood on the ground. He crashed outside of ex-military/OR track coach in 2005, "Coach Cote's" house.
Cote drove Lofgren to the hospital while Cote told him all about his military days.
Matt Valley: Valley was longboarding on the infamous Coe Drive hill, or as most of us know it "Heartbreak Hill," when he hit a crack in the road and "ate it."
Valley reportedly broke his elbow, but only went to the hospital after it locked up. Valley still sports a scar.
6,000 people are married around the world daily
30 Sports
How Hard
Is It To Play Sports In College?
Joe fishing Sports Writer
Playing sports in college is the dream of many high school athletes. A
number of seniors this year are planning on playing a sport, or in some
cases two sports, next year. College sports are separated into three
different divisions, Division-1, Division-II, and Division-Ill. Division-I
is the biggest schools, and is the hardest to play in. Division-II has the
fewest number of schools, and Division-Ill is the smaller schools
and is the easiest to play in. Division-I holds the big-name schools
such as Notre Dame, UNH, North Carolina, and BC, to name a few.
Only the most elite athletes in high school go on to play for
Division-I schools. Most Division-I schools give scholarship money
to those athletes who are really, really good, as incentive to come to
their school. All Ivy League schools, and some Patriot League
schools, are the only Division-I schools to not give out athletic
scholarships. Division-II schools offer scholarship money as well,
but not as much as Division-I, and Division-Ill schools cannot give
athletic scholarships whether or not they recruit student-athletes.
In order to play Division I or II you need to be certified by the
NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Eligibility is decided by
the Clearinghouse and not the individual colleges themselves. For
Division-Ill schools however, the eligibility requirements are set by the
school.
Aaron Weitzman graduated from Oyster River in 2005 and now plays
baseball for Division-Ill University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg. When
asked how hard he believes it is to play college athletics he said, "I
don't think it is that hard to play. Sure not a lot of kids get recruited,
but if you are good enough you can play whether someone finds you.
or you find them. Also, playing Division-Ill is a lot easier because since
there are no scholarships, even if you don't get recruited, chances are that
you can walk-on to the program."
Ben Dodd was going to play soccer at the University of California Santa-
Cruz, but did not end up attending that establishment. He now is en-
rolled at the University of Vermont. When asked how hard he
thinks it is to play sports in college, he said, "Just be realistic and
recognize all of the variables. You're not going to see Chris
MacArthur in the Frozen Four, but his cheap shots and big mouth
on such a little person might fit perfectly on a D-III squad. If you
want to make a D-I team, you need to start eating branflakes and
pretending that juggling a soccer ball 5,000 times is actually
enjoyable very early on."
According to MaxPreps, the only nationwide high school sports
network, in 2005 there were over 7 million high school athletes
and 1 in 12 US households had a high school student athlete.
The NCAA website has estimated the probability of high school
athletes moving on and playing sports at the collegiate and then
professional levels. The odds that a high school men's basketball player
plays at college is less then one out of 35, or 2.9%. The odds of a high
school basketball player playing in the NBA are roughly three out of
10,000, or .03%.
There were 384,742 college athletes in 2004-05, according to the NCAA.
Compared to the 7 million that play high school athletics, it is very
difficult to play sports in college. And yet, a poll of this years senior class
found that 60% were going to try and continue to play sports after high
school.
The National Collegiate
Athletic Association
Support the Oyster River Bobcats' Special Olympics Team!!!
Sean Rohlfing (Oyster River graduate and United States Bronze Medal
powerlifter) has agreed to PLUNGE on February 4th at Hampton Beach for our
team!!! 62 cents of every dollar raised goes to support our local team.
Please make a donation before January 30th, and your name will appear on a
PLUNGE card on the wall at the end of the first floor hall.
Checks should be made to SONH (and are tax deductible) and handed to Steve
Lord.
Where can I get some liquid nitrogen? - Jack
Athletes of the Month
December
«■ J*' r. » i O
TeSruary 2, 2007 31
Name/Nicknames: Trevor Maynard/ TMay
DOB: 4/20/90
5 words to describe you: Cool, calm, collected, motivated,
humble
Sport: Basketball
Sports Hero(s) : Julius "Dr. J" Erving
Best Sports Memory: Beating Coe-Brown by 18
Most Embarrassing Sports Memory: Getting blocked in front
of everybody at Providence basketball camp
Favorite Sports Movie: Hoosiers
Sports Superstitions: Wearing two pairs of socks
Animal you think represents you on the court: Gorilla
How much can you bench: 450 lbs.
Name/Nicknames: Emily, EmJ, Mono, RoBo
DOB: 12/20/88
5 words to describe you: Vertically-inclined, TALLLL!!, Chill, Athletic,
Spunky
Sport: Basketball
Sports HeroCsl : The Friels
Best Sports Memory: Winning the state Championship after an unde-
feated season. (22-0)
Most Embarrassing Sports Memory: When I fell and Jill Friel said "Big
trees fall hard."
Favorite Sports Movie: Love and Basketball
Sports Superstitions: I put my warm-ups under the last chair on the
bench.
Animal you think represents you on the field: Big Bear
How much can you bench: more than Caitlin Guarino
* All athletes of the month are nominated by coaches and then chosen out of the bunch
Chris Hall, please marry me in Vegas! - Cassie
Match the MOR staff member to their embarrassing love story
'One time my parents tried to set me
up with someone who reminded me of
"I accidentally dumped my eighth
grade girlfriend on Valentine's Da}
Gollum from Lord of the Rings."
"I was sitting on the couch with my
boyfriend— I had my shirt inside out
to hide the graphic on it, and I was
wearing my hair kind of messy. Then
my mom came home and wouldn't
believe that I chose to look like tH ^ I
"I was 17 and dating a 15 year old and he
was too scared to kiss me because he had
never kissed a girl before, so we just sat
there for an hour not talking. Then he
couldn't find my mouth. Then, I startec
laughing and he thought I was crying. D
"I got a hickey and my mom
saw it and offered to give me
makeup to cover it up with."
"This guy was handing me these
flowers and I thanked him, think-
ing they were for me, and he said,
'Uh, no, these are for your mo m.'"
"In third grade, I was in love with this boy
named Steven, so 1 grabbed him and rolled
down the hill with him. His sister came
over to my house and told me to leave him
alone and that I was a hussy." I I
"Once this guy I worked with found my number in the
phonebook and called me six times from different numbers ii
one day because he wanted to go mini-golfing. Then, he left
for college so 1 thought 1 wouldn't have to see him again, but
he transferred to a school in NH, so I have to see him every
day." m ■
"My friends used to convince
me to ask out girls because the;
thought it was funny when
they said no." tt
Match the MOR members with their embarrassing stories and submit answers
to Mrs. Kucera in Room T106 to win Valentine's chocolates!
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